Setting up Python

Programming Projects were originally developed to run in python 3.6+. It is recommended that you use the latest Python (currently 3.10.1).

In the following, $ is used to indicate a unix-flavor command-line.

Official Python tutorial

Required modules:

Installation options:

There are two general approaches for setting up a python environment.

1. Approach I: Use a pre-packaged, sandboxed distribution:
   The following are cross-platform (Mac, Linux, Windows). Installing these puts the entire python installation, with a large set of pre-packaged modules (includes numpy, scipy, matplotlib), into a stand-alone sandbox, completely independent of any other python environment on your machine. These also include a package manager and IDE):
   • Enthought Deployment Manager (EDM) is available for download for free.
     (Enthought used to provide the accompanying Canopy Express GUI, but this is now removed and Enthought instead recommends pairing EDS with Visual Studio Code for the IDE.)
   • Anaconda I have heard good things about Anaconda but I don't have any personal experience using it.
   • List of alternative python distributions (many of these include IDEs)


2. Approach II: Install Python, modules, and IDE separately:
   1. Install Python (or use the existing python install in your OS).
      If you want to keep your install of Python and any modules you work with for the class separate from your OS's native Python, I recommend either using a sandbox distribution release like Enthought Canopy (above), or use Python virtualenv (Here's a good place to start to learn about virtualenv).
      
      Platform-specific notes:
      • Linux: Setting up Python 3 on Ubuntu
      • Mac: A version of Python 3 comes installed with mac osx, but I recommend doing a separate installation in order to not interfere with the system installation.
        First,
        • Ensure XCode is installed. To check if XCode is installed properly, you can type gcc in the command-line. If you get gcc: command not found, then XCode is not properly installed. (depending on your version of Mac OSX, you may be able to use the following command to install directly from the command line:
          $ xcode-select --install)
        I then recommend using either one of the following package managers:
        • (A) I now use Homebrew for Mac package management
          • (i) Install Homebrew
          • (ii) $ brew install python3 # grabs latest python 3
          • (iii) $ pip3 install --upgrade pip # ensures pip for Python 3 is up to date
        • (B) In the distant past I used MacPorts, with the following recipe for setting up Python 2.7; likely just need to adjust a little for python 3 -- try starting here:
          • (i) Install MacPorts (After downloading and installing, run
            $ sudo port selfupdate)
          • (ii) $ sudo port install python2.7 pip
          • (iii) $ sudo port select --set python python27
      • Windows:
        • Using Python 3 on Windows
        • (The following is provided in case you want to install additional standard packages, but these are not required.) Note on installing numpy, scipy and matplotlib: After installing Python 3, some Windows users have reported (fall 2017) trouble with installing scipy. The following was found to work, as long as you install all three, starting with the following version of numpy first:
          • First, download one version of the .whl files (depending on whether you have win32 or win_amd64) for the following three packages from here: Unofficial Windows Binaries for Python Extension Packages
            • from numpy choose either numpy-1.13.1+mkl-cp36-cp36m-win32.whl or numpy-1.13.1+mkl-cp36-cp36m-win_amd64.whl
            • from scipy choose either scipy-0.19.1-cp36-cp36m-win32.whl or scipy-0.19.1-cp36-cp36m-win_amd64.whl
            • from matplotlib choose either matplotlib-2.0.2-cp36-cp36m-win32.whl or matplotlib-2.0.2-cp36-cp36m-win_amd64.whl
          • Second, from a command-line shell (e.g., PowerShell, Windows bash, etc.), change directory (cd) to the place where you downloaded the .whl files (e.g., Downloads)
          • Third, from the command-line, you will now pip install first numpy, then scipy, then matplotlib. Pip install by using this command from the command-line:
            $ pip install <.whl-filename>
            ... where <.whl-filename> is the name of the .whl file you downloaded.
   
   
   2. Python IDE
      
      • These IDEs require independent installation of python and modules (as opposed to using the packaged IDE provided in a sandboxed Python distribution, like Enthought Canopy, above)
      • There are many options for editors/IDEs. IDEs, of course, give more Python-aware editing (ranging from syntax to semantic highlighting, tool-tips, multi-file and module structure awareness, etc...). NOTE: For many of these IDEs you will need to go through the step of making the IDE aware of where your Python installation is located -- this is typically done by using the IDE's preferences facility to identify the system path to python executable and site-packages directory (all usually accomplished by a single path); see your IDE's docs for how to do this. All of the following are free and multiplatform.
        • Any basic text editor will work! You'll just edit, save edits then run from the command-line.
        • PyCharm, with its Community Edition free for academic use, continues to be excellent.
        • You could use Emacs (the simple course Python Tutorial includes some notes about Emacs; Aquamacs is the best Mac flavor of Emacs) or vi. Both options provide varying levels of Python awareness and plugins.
        • PyCharm Community Edition is excellent
        • Sublime Text is also excellent (but will bug you periodically to buy it).
        • Eclipse with the PyDev plugin works will for many people. There is the LiClipse bundle which I have not tried but looks intriguing
      • Another list of python IDEs